Friday, January 31, 2014

Friday, yay! We've got fun plans for the weekend and I'm looking forward to it. It has been a week of mixed emotions for me, surprised, excitement on the horizon, interruptions with things I thought would move ahead, just a mixed bag. But when I came home this morning from the gym to the sweetest note from my fiancé, my beau, to remember to enjoy each moment I thought, that's right, I think I will! Happy Friday! There is so much I have fancied along the way. Enjoy!

I HEART: {1} Curly Girl Designs Cards I am so absolutely in love with these cards! She has stars in her eyes, glitter in her veins and bubbles in her glass, of course!

WATCH:{5} It is no secret how much I have a girl crush on Beyonce…she's amazing! I finally got around to watching her documentary this week and well, this lady is amazing and inspiring, she's mega. yep. Beyonce Life Is But A Dream

Thursday, January 30, 2014

It has been a very wet week here in London, rain rain rain. I've been a bit busy around here with lots of work going on, I cranked up the wedding planning to do's and have been meeting up with some wonderful friends and industry friends as well. Taking a break from your desk to catch up in person is always SUCH a nice treat and well, I think its a must! I thought it would be nice to take a little break this afternoon from serious stuff and indulge in some blog reading. Cheers to a little afternoon blog break!

Last weekend Beau and I ventured to Broadway market and I picked up some delicious Meringue Girls meringues, if you have not had some, run out and get them now….delicious! You can see my pics here on Instagram.

I thought I would leave you with a little sweet afternoon treat. Yep, another instagram pic of mine. I've been going through a lot of questioning recently, constant uncertainty and unable to make decisions. Whether I am making the right decisions career/work/business wise. If I am spending so much time blogging and nobody is reading or enjoying reading. Whether our wedding will be as pretty as I envision. Whether I can lose all the weight I want by the wedding or need to. Will we have enough money to create the most beautiful day ever. Will we have enough money to travel after the wedding. Blah Blah Blah Blah. These questions are so silly to type out loud, but its true. When I take a step back, I realize, wow, my life is pretty sweet, stop stressing out! I often feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders, but I don't, stop freaking out and enjoy this time, this day! Whether its a meringue with an afternoon cup of tea or a night out with girlfriends, there are so many little things to enjoy. So if you find yourself crazy stressed, take a step back and think, is it that bad?….nope, it is probably actually pretty sweet!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Opening up my mail last week to receive this adorable pink box filled with beauty goodies put a smile across my face! I am certainly a bit of a beauty junkie, with a trunk full of makeup and as you may see,I often share beauty items on Instagram and Fancy Friday posts. I love a new lipstick or a new nail polish, makes this girl happy! So when I was introduced to the brand Glossybox, I knew I had to share it with my readers. Glossybox is a subscription based beauty sampling box. Each month you receive a lovely box filled with high end and new brands to sample. From new hair products, nail polish and even trendy items like shoe clips, the box is always a fun surprise! I was lucky enough to receive a special edition of the new wedding box in my mail and loved the goodies inside.

In collaboration with Wedding Magazine, Glossybox has created a beautiful wedding box, that I think would be a great gift for any bride to be! Receiving this box as a newly engaged bride to be would be such a treat!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE samples of items that I have been wanting to try. The BECCA brand shimmering skin perfecter was on my list of things I wanted to try and add to my cosmetic box, and it was a sample!

Another favorite of mine is the "Yes, I do!" nail polish which is a perfect pretty shade of pink and the ADORABLE pink shoe bows that I will be rockin during a wedding celebration for sure!

Check out the other items that Glossybox offers, it would be such a great gift….or get one for yourself!

Monday, January 27, 2014

I found this picture below while cleaning out my computer this weekend. My dad took this picture of Beau and I while my parents were visiting this Summer when they visited. This picture is of us walking through the gardens near our wedding venue Fulham Palace, it was a BEAUTIFUL Summer day and I hope it is the same on June 15th! When I look at this picture it reminds me to take a step back from all of the details of wedding planning, dresses, gifts, flowers, bands, everything. It reminds me how lucky I am to have found such a great guy and to have all of our friends and family coming in from all over the world to celebrate our wedding with us! Beau and I have found it important recently to schedule in a night a week to make wedding decisions but also a night a week to have a NON wedding talking date. There are so many amazing things going on in London that we want to take advantage

Get a drink on the 32nd floor of the Shard overlooking London! To head to the view point of the Shard the ticket is about £25 per person, you can go to the bar instead and get almost the same view and spend that money on two AMAZING cocktails. Its a pretty sweet treat.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Recently I have started a pile of items that I want to get rid of. Dresses that I LOVE, but haven't worn in over two years, books I've already read, etc. Things I love but have realized, I just do not use! If I was living in the States right now, I would suggest to Beau that we have a big yard sale, however, I live in London, in a cute flat, however, no yard. I have seen a few other bloggers start this and I thought why not, I am going to start selling them on Instagram. Sorry US readers, the sale is only open to UK residents. I will be posting items weekly, usually on Fridays. Hey, if I can put a little more money towards our honeymoon fund, OK? How about those pretty wedding shoes I have my eye on? Follow me on Instagram rldamato#beccaswardrobesale

Friday. Friday. Friday. I think everyone likes waking up and realizing…it's FRIDAY!:) I may be working from home right now, however, I still feel an excitement knowing the weekend is ahead and time with Beau and Sir Oliver is filling the weekend. Less time in front of my computer, more time out and about. This week has been full of getting organized for the months ahead and meeting up with friends, industry friends and old friends. This weekend we plan on taking some time out for wedding planning {we need to find a band!} and some R&R {maybe a movie? What have you seen?}. During the week I have found a few things I fancy and as usual wanted to share….

1. SHOP: Shoes with Hearts! These are adorable! Cake Pop Art Flats are on my wish list. I know it is not Summer and I have NO holiday plans right now, but maybe for my honeymoon?!?!? Who doesn't need cute flamingo shorts with Pom Poms on them!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Earlier today I shared some ideas on how to workout at home, for cheap, for free and start feeling the best you have ever felt before your wedding day! I also wanted to share a few London favorites with you. I am on a super budget now that we are in full wedding planning mode. The deposits are getting bigger for vendors and more money is going towards our big day, however, I still want to work out and be fit! I love working out at home and going for a run, but there is something nice about going to a class or having someone coach you one on one. I decided to invest a little in myself and have signed up for classes and you know what, I LOVE IT! London is full amazing places to get fit and workout, here are a few of my favorite suggestions.

OK I know I have talked about this place before and I tend to tweet about it a lot as well, but hey, I love this workout! Orange Theory is a one hour group circuit training class that makes me feel like I have personal training results, but is half the price. I love that every class is different and from the treadmill, rowing machine, bike, weights….. I never what class is going to be like. The studio is located on Upper Street in Islington, I love it! Go!

I really want to try out this fitness studio, who wants to join me? The FRAME studio is loaded with cool classes such as 80's Aerobics, Beginners Music Video Dance Class and also regular yoga, pilates, weights and cardio classes. The studio looks awesome and I am loving the entire brand that FRAME has a cool place to sweat!

Two personal trainers, specializing on making the bride to be, the groom or the couple, look their best ever on their wedding day. I LOVE this concept that they have created! Personal training and nutrition tips, these two guys are focused on making you feel wonderful on your big day.

Looking into kicking it into HIGH GEAR, the celebrities are doing it, why can't we? High intense cardio and strength training, I've heard this class will get your arms ready for that strapless dress, no doubt!

Looking for one on one training? Personal sessions may be a little more expensive then group classes, however, I've trained at Zay Fitness and there is something to be said about a trainer checking your form and personalizing every workout just for you. Hey, your wedding day only comes once right, so why not invest in it, in yourself and feel the best you have ever felt!

Who doesn't want to look AMAZING on their wedding day?!?!? I know I DO! As I mentioned the other day, fitness has always been part of my life, however recently with five months to feel fabulous in my dress, I've pumped up the workouts. I love to run, try new classes, go to yoga and circuit training, however when you are trying to save money for the big day, sometimes attending the newest hottest workout may not be in the budget. I have learned quickly that if you commit yourself, you can get fit at home as well! Youtube is FULL of amazing free videos and with the additions of some easy purchases online, you can create your own bridal boot camp in your living room.

1. Carrie Underwood Workout - Yes, that is the superstar's back on her wedding day. She looks FAB and is fit and well, I'd love that look! Click on the link to see how Carrie looks fit by doing these exercise at home.

2. Fitness Bands - Cheap and easy moves you can do at home that really tone you.

4. Yoga Mat - Invest in a cushioned mat! You can use it for yoga, lunges, stretching, everything.

5. My Fitness Pal App - I've become obsessed with this app. It is cheap and amazing! You can track local restaurants, food brands, create recipes and track it all on your phone. It is amazing to see how many calories you consume once you write it all down. It is also quite fun to see your weight loss go down, down, down by tracking it on your phone.

6. Fitbit Zip Wireless - I have heard that this is the best friend to the My Fitness App, my friend has used it an lost 30 lbs! This little bit can be placed on your bra strap with nobody noticing and you track your steps through the day, calories burned, sleeping pattern, it seems amazing!

Below are a few FREE videos that I am loving {I love that word, FREE}! From yoga, to a 30 minute workout, these workouts will leave you feeling like you went to the gym and you will not even have to leave your front door.

How are you working out for the big day? Are you wearing a strapless dress and wanting to tone your shoulders and your back? Are your more focused on feeling like a hot bombshell on your honeymoon??? I hope you like these tips! I will be sharing some local London work outs this afternoon. Good luck with your workouts and keep me posted on how they go.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Doesn't every bride want that beautiful glow on their wedding day? I know I want flawless skin on my wedding day {ok, and always!} and am prepping my skin for the big day. The winter months can bring along dry, dull complexions, which is not a good palette for your wedding day make up! Following up on yesterday's Feeling Good post about juicing and giving your body a cleanse, I am following up today with some advice on getting your skin to look the best it can for your wedding. I asked the amazing makeup artist, Carolanne Armstrong {who just happens to be doing my wedding day makeup!} for some tips to share on bridal beauty advice and what to use on your skin in the months before your wedding. See the picture below, yes, thats Carolanne on her wedding day with some gorgeous skin going on! I think we can all learn a few things from her.

The best place to start for a healthy complexion (the ultimate base for good make up) is obviously nutrition and hydration. Do your skin a huge favour and drink water and get some fruit and veg in your life.

If you need a good reason to give up smoking, then the affect on your face could be reason enough?

Sunscreen is also heartily advised, if you don't wear a foundation which contains an SPF, then a facial sunscreen with a factor 15 is highly recommended. It's perfectly possible to achieve a sun-kissed glow without frying your face!

Skin Care

It is always SO much easier and effective to create an amazing look on someone with who maintains their skin. Dry, patchy skin doesn't receive foundations well, so a weekly exfoliation habit will make a huge difference.

I also recently discovered this Dead Sea Mineral Face Mask by Premier. If used straight after a shower, you need only apply the smallest gel-like amount in gentle circular motions and dry, dead skin is lifted and gathers on the surface of your face. It's incredible, no scrubbing or abrasion.

A daily cleanse and moisturise will go a very long way, here are some of my favourite skin care products:

I don't believe that many mineral make up products achieve the same gorgeous finish as typical brands, so I wouldn't recommend those to clients. I believe in good skin care and in priming your skin for make up too.

My favourite all-age, all skin-type primer is Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Not to be used daily but when you're putting a special effort in to your make up for an occasion and would like some moisturising, glowy staying power.

If you're going to apply make up with brushes, clean those once a week. The bacteria which will build up from your skin and the products will not only affect the performance of your brushes but also redistribute back to your face. Yuck. Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser & MAC Cosmetics Brush Cleanser

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Hello! This week I am going to be posting all about ideas on fitness, beauty, health and how to make yourself feel the best you have ever felt, the day you walk down the aisle! Correct, I am not a nutritionist, a trainer or any health expert, however, a healthy lifestyle is something I have always enjoyed and practice. I exercise regularly, love to cook and eat healthy and on my wedding day I want to feel the best I have ever felt! January came along and I realized, oh my… 5 months until our wedding! Eeeekk, time to kick it in high gear! Those last few pounds I've been wanting to lose, the glowing rosy skin I want achieve, all of it can be done with a few healthy changes. After the holiday season filled with fun and indulgence, I decided it was time to kick start my wedding feel good plan! Beau received a juicer for Christmas this year, so it was the perfect time to break it out and start juicing, starting with a cleanse.

I have read a lot of good and bad things about juice cleanse. Some people think they are an instance weight solution to weight loss, no. Some others think you need to do a 30 day cleanse to get any results, are you kidding! I have also read that juice cleanses are full of sugar, so they are really not good for you at all, not true. I did enjoy reading positive things about them, that they made you feel lighter, not hungry and got your system cleansed from over indulging and got rid of some of your cravings {i.e.: sugar, afternoon sweets!}. As Dr. Oz mentions, "A Detox is based upon eating certain “detoxifying” foods that will keep these systems running smoothly." Simple. Start. Let's go.

Juices can get expensive if you are using fresh fruit and veggies from the grocery store every day or buying the pre bottled juices. I made a list of all of the veggies and fruit I wanted to use for three days and went to my local market. Luckily we live near an awesome farmers market where I can buy fresh produce for half the cost of the grocery store! You will be shocked at how much produce you go through in one glass of juice!

I decided to do a three day juice cleanse, I made up the cleanse myself, however, I would highly recommend following one of the links I share at the end of this post, because I think I went a bit extreme and wish I would have read the items below before my experience.

Day One:
I begin every day with a cup of warm water with lemon. Correct, no coffee, no tea!
I followed my morning "drink" with the juice masters detox cleanse special juice.
For Lunch I made myself Beet, Carrot, Apple, Ginger Juice and in the afternoon and evening I had more of the master detox cleanse special juice.

The first day I felt great! I drank a lot of water throughout the day and sipped a lot of warm lemon water. Yes, come 5:00pm I wanted a nice glass of red wine, but I kept the wine bar closed and enjoyed juice glass number three instead. At the end of day three I surprisingly felt great and slept like a baby throughout the night.

Day TwoI woke up early with my warm lemon water and went to work out…probably not the best idea. I attend a high intensity circuit training class and I probably should have chosen to do more
of a yoga class, low intensity or even a power walk.
When I got home from class I made a glass of beet juice and grabbed a handful of almonds, as I was craving a little crunch, not just liquids.
As the day continued I had another green juice for lunch and made myself some fresh mint tea.
I was feeling great until about mid afternoon when I started to feel dizzy and faint, see, the intense workout and only juice was not doing it for me!
After reading up on other cleanses I decided to make a delicious soup and chose a fresh Broccoli + Arugula Soup from Gwyneth Paltrow's book. Your body is craving something warm and more then a glass of juice after two days. This soup was perfect! That evening I was starting to crave something else to eat and not just soup or juice, but I felt like it was a mental thing and let it go, going to be feeling a little lighter.

Day ThreeI gave myself the day off from the gym and took Oliver for a long walk. Again, I started the day with Lemon Water and tried a Carrot Juice this day.
At lunch time I had the remaining soup from lunch the day before, an afternoon snack of fresh carrots, a pear and beet juice and for dinner I made the master cleanse juice one more time.
Day Three I did feel tired, however, I was feeling a bit lighter and actually, shockingly not craving an afternoon treat.

DONE!

Let me just say, the hardest part I felt was giving up coffee for three days. I had two really bad headaches, however it made me think just how much our bodies get use to things and need a little detox from it! I wouldn't suggest going as minimal as I did, because I did feel a bit tired and achy after day two, but if I had incorporated a light salad and some more nuts, I think I would absolutely do it again.

Green Juice is amazing for you. It is full of antioxidants and calcium. I really enjoy Gwyneth Paltrow's recipe but would add a bit more lemon to it. It is yummy and I thought almost tastes like a green lemonade! Moving forward as we get closer to the wedding I am trying to cut down no my coffee intake and make more things like green juice and as always…water! There is nothing better for a glowing face then water!

I do not recommend juice diets all the time…NO! Your body need nutrients and food to give you energy and feel and look beautiful. I also do not recommend the Master Cleanse, that is called starving yourself. However, a few days of juice cleansing, allows your body to eliminate toxins from your system and feel really fantastic after. Three days of cleansing with juices, soups and light healthy meals, no alcohol and no coffee, YES!

Also, I had some people ask me if I had bought the cleanse in bottles, no. Pre made juice cleanse can be SUPER expensive! I know that juicers can be a bit expensive as well, but honestly, the one time investment is worth it after buying into a bottled juice cleanse program. I also like seeing the fresh juice and veggies go into my glass!

If you are looking for a kick start to looking great for your wedding day, you are a bridesmaids, a big event is coming up or you just want to start feeling better, I do think a cleanse is a great start.

Friday, January 17, 2014

I thought it would be fun to start off Friday morning with a little behind the scenes video from the Next Generation Blogger Shoot I was involved in. Designate put together a lovely video featuring all of us ladies throughout the day. Yes, it takes a lot of time and effort for a fun shoot like this! It was fun to be the bride to be in front of the camera that day! It was such a lovely day at Churchgate Porter chatting with the other amazing ladies and I am so excited to have been a part of the day.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

I am excited to share a little behind the scenes makeup tutorial from the talented and lovely make up artist, Jules Cardozo Marsh, who created my gorgeous smokey eye look during the wedding blogger shoot. Jules has outlined step by step how to get the look below. Whether you are getting dressed up for a night out on the town, an engagement party, bachelorette party or doing your own wedding makeup, Jules has outlined my look wonderfully! So here goes…I'm posting a pic of me, no makeup, at all, on the Internet….and a pretty after shot when Jules worked her magic!

From Jules….. "I was SO excited to be working on Rebecca for this shoot as she was our 'real life' Bride and planning her own wedding for later this year so it was almost a dress rehearsal.

Rebecca is a stunning girl and I wanted to give her a smokey, dramatic look that matched the amazing Charlotte Casadejus gown she had chosen to wear, it was a favourite of mine, if only I could have fit into it…"

1. BASE- Rebecca has lovely olive skin so I wanted to enhance it by using a light luminous foundation such as Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Apply where needed and conceal as required. Always use a concealer one or two shades lighter than your foundation, buying a concealer palette will give you more choice especially as our skin changes colour throughout the year.

A favourite of mine has to be the 'mix & match' Trish McEvoy Make-up Planner, exactly like a Filofax but for make-up, unique! I store all my 'must have' cosmetics in this and it's great for going on Honeymoon. I used these products on Rebecca from my planner.

2. EYES - I used Glaze Eyeshadow in Cream on Rebecca's lower lid and used as a base ready for my smokey eye colour, I then applied Topaz (Golden Brown) into the socket and blended up and out just outside the socket line. You can NEVER blend enough so keep blending... using a dark brown colour on the outer lid build up the smokey eye look.

For added intensity use Intense Gel Eye Liner in Black, applying as close to the lash line as possible and blend to soften. If you feel that Black is too heavy for you then use Brown. Smudge underneath the eye.

Applying lashings of mascara, Benefit BadGal is a current favourite and apply false lashes to suit. I applied a few individual lashes to Rebecca's outer lashes which she loved.

3. FINISH - Finish the look by using a matt bronzer to contour by applying just under the cheek bone, Dr Hauschka is an Organic range and smells divine.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Mid way through the week and I'm feeling productive, you? I usually do not say this, but I've been on it, waking up early, getting through my inbox, checking off our wedding to do list, blogging, cleaning, cooking, what a week. I am packing my schedule with meet ups over the next few weeks to begin and as Lara Casey says…..make things happen. My mind has been exploding with ideas and maybe its the beginning of the year or maybe I just want to give things a shot and try and make things happen. If you are at work, having a cup of tea, its time for happy hour, whatever time zone you are reading from, I hope you take a break and escape and enjoy my afternoon blog break!

I've been at home now for a month and need to get myself more organized and less time browsing Pinterest, doing laundry and being distracted by that cute dog of mine. Lara Casey's organization tips are amazing!

Let's be honest, two of the cutest, most photographed people at the wedding {other then the bride & groom} are the flower girl and ring bearer. Beau and I luckily have two adorable little ones in the family that we could not wait to include in our big day! Being that our flower girl turned three over our holiday to Bali, we wanted to give her a special gift to ask her to be part of our wedding.

I love the Wedding Chicks FREE Printable Will You Be My Flower Girl & Ring Bearer Cards that we printed for both our flower girl and ring bearer {Beau's super sweet niece and nephew!}. Wedding Chicks has some wonderful printables that you can download and personalize….free, yes for free!

We gave our flower girl to be a wooden wedding cake that we played with throughout our vacation, cutting and serving the cake to the family, it was the perfect sweet little gift! The little ones are such a sweet part of the day, so why not give them a fun little gift to ask them to be part of the day. Here are a few ideas of mine; from funny tshirts for the boys, children's city books on your wedding location and hey, for us that are getting married in a potentially rainy day…why not some AMAZING yellow wellies that might be needed on the big day!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A few months ago I was delighted and surprised to receive the sweetest email from Nicola at Propose PR asking if I would be interested to be a part of a wedding blogger photo shoot for Wedding Magazine. Me? Little me from Urban Flip Flops blog? I read the list of other bigger bloggers included in the shoot and thought again, me? The American wedding blogger living in London, planning our wedding, working in the weddings industry, in a magazine photo shoot? OK! On an early morning on Thanksgiving day, off we went to the beautiful countryside in East Sussex {picturesque! stunning!}, for a photo shoot at the newly opened Churchgate Porter bridal boutique. I am so excited to be sharing with you the finished product of the WEDDING magazine issue on newsstands now, flip to page 118 to read the entire story.

I will mention it again, yes, I was really excited to be part of this shoot with some other wonderfully talented ladies in the wedding blogging world! Moving from the States where the wedding blogging world has exploded, it has been an amazing experience this past year to find lovely established UK wedding blogs sharing new ideas and styles as well. To be considered as part of the new up and coming wedding bloggers in the UK, was just a thrill! The other lovely ladies included in the shoot were: the talented Sara of the gorgeous fine art and film wedding photography site Wedding Sparrow, the sweetest Laura from Festival Brides, the super stylish Marina from Style & the Bride and the lovely Nova from her blog focusing on black brides to be Nu Bride.

After arriving at Churchgate Porter we were each able to pick out our own designer gown and then headed into hair and makeup. It was so fun to dress up in a wedding dress that is so NOT similar to my wedding dress for June! I picked out a London based designer, Charlotte Casadejus, dress called the Margot, which was a ton of fun to wear. The feathers of the dress were my style to add that bit of sparkle and fun to the outfit! I love a big puffy tutu, so why wouldn't I love some layers of feathers.

I do believe that a lot of brides gain ideas from blogs and that there are a number of different sites out there that are each fit for the certain bride to be. All five us bloggers had a different style but we are all doing the same thing, sharing advice, inspiration and ideas with brides to be for their big day.

Was it intimidating being all dolled up in front of the camera and knowing it was going to be featured in a magazine for thousands of people to read, yes. However, after thinking I didn't lose enough weight, I didn't have the right smile, my blog wasn't big enough to be featured, I got over it and had a blast. These past few months I have been blogging about more party ideas, more inspiration from my big day and more UK wedding vendors that I find and want to share. I have been worrying less about what others will say and just doing it. So I guess that is how I felt a bit on the day of the shoot, just have fun and do it!

Sitting here in my "office" {aka: my blue parsons desk by the window in my flat} dressed stylishly in my leggings, slippers and no makeup, makes me want to get all dolled up again! The shoot made me excited for my big day and made me giddy and happy to be a bride to be. I relate to my readers in the case that I am always looking for new inspiration by reading magazines and blogs, seeing the bloggers ideas, style notes and real weddings they feature. I hope by reading my blog you enjoy seeing me as the bride to be and also the blogger. I write a lot about the pretty ideas, but I guess that is because, I believe your wedding day should be a beautiful and personalized day to start off your marriage! Everything about it should be pretty and lovely from the moment you wake up until you exit the reception with your husband!

I hope you have enjoyed reading Urban Flip Flops over this past year and half we have been in London! I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts on your big day and inspiration for making your wedding that much more sparkly. It has been a roller coaster of adventures for Beau and I this past 18 months, and when I was asked to be featured in a UK wedding magazine, well this was one of the exciting moments to add to our list! Thank you for having me be part of the next generation of UK wedding bloggers, I hope to see you back here soon!

Thank you to all of the talented wedding professionals who made this day possible:

Friday, January 10, 2014

Happy Friday! Well, this has been the first official full week of 2014, how has it been for you? I have to be honest, its been interesting for me, great but also, interesting. The new year has brought for me, our wedding in June which is SO exciting, it has also brought for me a new fresh year of figuring out what I am going to be doing professionally. I have spent the week searching online, reading books, quotes, interviewing, networking, and I'm still not sure, I think it may take me awhile…more then a week for sure;) In the middle of the roller coaster mind set I have had this week, I have found a few items I fancied and wanted to share. I would love to hear what you fancy and any tips on figuring it all out;)

2. She Designed a Life She Loved - I saw this picture on Style Me Pretty and it keeps coming back to me. That's what I want. I want to design a life that I love. I'm looking for that job path to help me.

3. Flamingo Mug - I stumbled upon this adorable mug on Etsy and it is made in England, how perfect!

4. Velvet Ruby & Ed Slippers - Don't you love my new Christmas gift I received? I have to admit, I am not taking them off! Hot Pink, velvet and with a bow!

5. Coconut Carrot Soup - I have been on a 3 day juice cleanse {more on that later!} but can't wait to make a bowl of this yummy soup Camille made.

6. Wedding Magazine - Pick up a copy of the newest Wedding Magazine, turn to page 118 and you may see someone familiar!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Weeks like this, with rain and windy filled days in London, makes you long for a sunny holiday. Well in less then six months, Beau and I will be packing for our honeymoon! Over the holidays we decided we wanted to stay a little closer {I like how this is closer now, then 1 1/2 years ago!} and to go to Europe for our honeymoon! We had originally wanted to head to a tropical island like Bali, Fiji, the Maldives, but after thinking about it more and speaking with some friends who travelled through Europe on their honeymoon, well, it sounded every bit amazing and romantic. We are hoping to go to the Amalfi Coast and to a couple or just one Greek island. Have you been there? Any suggestions on where to stay, what to do, where to eat? I can not wait to go there with my then…husband!